Thank you so much for this. I think you nailed what many of us who run companies have been thinking about as we viewed Nike perpetually tripping over their laces.
With you on Sororities and Fraternities. As the saying goes: "I would never want to be a member of any club that would accept me". (Paraphrased)
It’s actually a line from the great Groucho Marx which I frequently quote: “I refuse to join a club that would have me as a member” , which was spoken to The Friars Club when he decided to resign his membership. Not to be confused with, “I’ve a mind to join a club and beat you over the head with it” from his movie Duck Soup. Two classic lines. Nobody was funnier than The Marx Brothers. 👍
As a fraternity guy who rushed his freshman year to the fraternity his father pledged, I was a "legacy" and so did not need to deal with the fear of failure. Rush can be a nasty process for girls or guys with low self-esteem. But once in the Greek system, I can say with great confidence it was a LOT of fun, for me, my bros, and the sorority girls we partied with (sometimes multiple times a week, including breakfast mimosas and screwdrivers). Maybe too much fun. I was a terrible student my first three years in college because I put my social life in front of my academic life. I was a very good partier. If that is your thing, like it was for me before 21, then Greek life is for you. But if you really want to get a great education and maximize your academic experience, steer clear. I transferred after my junior year, with sophomore credits, and became a very good student outside the college party system
I’m not sure how long ago you were in college, but your advice to avoid Greek life if you want to study and get good grades is not well founded today. I advise a 110 member fraternity at a 2nd tier states university that has an average GPA of 3.3, well above the all campus male average of 2.9. The all Greek average GPA hovers around 3.1.
There are plenty of studies over the last 30 years showing that Greek membership increases likelihood of returning for sophomore year and persisting through to graduation. And now there are studies that show Greek membership has a positive impact on mental health and wellness, civic engagement and community service, and career preparedness, among other positive outcomes (here’s one such study - https://nicfraternity.org/research/)
@jennifer sey, I read your stuff whenever I see it in my feed. I really appreciate your perspective and straightforward writing. This piece being a prime example. For what it’s worth, here’s another way to look at why young men and women join Greek organizations: it shrinks the campus down to a relatable group where they can pursue common goals, put themselves in service to others, push each other to become better versions of themselves, learn to accept differences and lean on what unites them, build friendships on a durable foundation, and have a whole lotta fun in the process. Perhaps you won’t hear a freshman articulate it that way - they are way too focused on the fun. But by the middle of junior year, most astute members will have come to this understanding.
Fraternities and sororities have survived for as long as they have because they provide something meaningful for you men and women, a sense of belonging and an opportunity to commit to something beyond themselves. It’s not the only place to find this on campus of course and you probably got it through gymnastics. But it’s certainly a viable place to find it.
My experience was in a PAC12 university in the mid 70s at a sought after fraternity. There were better students than me in the fraternity and some who did not socialize much at all. But for me, my first three years were more a social than an academic education. I obviously got good enough grades to stay in school, about a 3.0 in an engineering program. But I graduated Magna Cum Laude after changing schools and focusing on academics. Many upper classmen in our fraternity moved out of the house and only attended social activities once a month or so. This is a common experience. Each to their own.
I agree. I was Greek and so were both of my sons. We were all very involved with our philanthropies. I was President of my chapter. We had about 130 girls. I learned all kinds of leadership skills as well as dealing with financials. So many of my sisters went on to be executives in Fortune 500 companies or became entrepreneurs. I loved playing sports so it was nice to have ready made teams with my sisters to play intramural sports. My sons were in leadership in their fraternities as well. They both got jobs at graduation and have done really well in their careers. Both their fraternities had well over the average GPA at a BIG 10 and SEC school. They had some pretty strict study hours and grade parameters. Some of my best friends to date our still my sorority sisters from 40 years ago! We worked hard and played hard!
Goth is a strange mindset. My son was goth, shopped at Hot Topic, for a couple years in his early teens. I never understood that type of negativity. Now he is a sunny, happy boy (40 year old). It was just a phase.
Nike finally getting something right. These girls shop! Sorority life is amazing. I am a big fan. I encourage all young girls to “rush” and I support many through it. It’s one of college’s best offerings.
Some business thoughts on Nike: Michael Jordan who practically built the house of Nike in the 1980s, with his huge endorsement deals, as Jennifer quoted, famously said: "Republicans buy sneakers, too". He got what Phil (Shoe Dog) Knight and crew did not. Nike in its Portland Oregon infused political tunnel vision also lost sight of competitors and let Adidas regain the global athletic gear lead it had in the 1970s before Nike took off. Adidas is a case in point for persistence. Nike has turned over its management a few times since Knight stepped down. Maybe they have finally come to grips with what MJ taught them 40 years ago and which they then forgot or ignored.
In addition to all you mentioned, the quality of their product went to crap. I quit buying Nike long before all the social justice espousing, but that cemented I’d never go back.
I love reading your column. Love it. ❤️About brands, don't they all grow old and moribund? I can put on a pair of cool sneakers but I'll never be more than a old guy trying too hard.
Those of us with a good amount of mileage behind us, recognize this idiocy right when we see it. They were living off of the sugar high of 2020. But things always go back to average even if that average shifts slightly left or right. It’s why unaffiliated voters call the shots a lot of times. As a retired LEO officer, I knew that the defund the police and related things wouldn’t pass the smell test with the voters who mattered. Personally, I stopped buying Nike because of their conduct. Not that I thought my small contribution would affect them. But if a large majority did like I did, there’d be some impact on the bottom line. Seems that has come to pass. Good. I bet Kaepernick and Mulvaney aren’t under contract at Nike anymore.
OK, Jen... you were a playa' in the boardroom. I'm just a schmoe who's unemployable and so has had to run his own businesses to earn a living. Here's my question:
Why not just be a private company? Why be so worried about shareholders at all? I'm thinking of the model of In N Out as profiled by Girdley on Youtube. It seems to me that corporations just become these profit hungry behemoths and don't really innovate all that much outside of the latest marketing idea.
I mean...Levi's still are just blue jeans...
Outside of making speculators gazillionaires, is there really a point?
That's a great question. Capital. Money. Growth. More money. Going public is a cash infusion. Lots of people get rich and take their leave. Then yes, it's a profit hungry behemoth driven by quarterly numbers. Without fail.
While I have no doubt it was not your intention, watching those videos was the most depressing thing I have seen in a long time. I think you made the right decision staying away from insanity of needing to join anything to have self worth. Artificial friendships are still artificial. No matter how many parties you can get drunk at, and all that comes along with that.
Went into Niketown in Boston, big posters of unfamiliar athletes. Nice that Nike sees its role to educate consumers, but it doesn't feel very fun, especially contrasted with very fun and some-local-focus Dick's up the street.
IMO the push behind the Great Corporate Awokening was ESG. Not only ESG funds, but indexers (who have no dog in the corporate performance fight) piling on for good guy points and marketing benefits.
The grand bargain was "If you play ball with the "Environmental" and "Social" part, we'll ignore the "Governance" part). In other words, if your ads give us a warm fuzzy feeling, we aren't going to gripe about your pay package.
As long as ESG inflows buoyed the stock price, all was fine. But now that the numbers have caught up, it doesn't matter as much. Who cares about how many out-of-the-money stock options you get when it is falling?
Some companies still haven't gotten the message though (Disney).
I hated Frats, ended up hanging with funny creative types. Was even national scandal adjacent a time or two because the majority couldn’t or wouldn’t get the joke.
That being said, Nike has been on my do not buy list for decades. I did have some early Air Jordan t-shirts mostly because I shared a last name with Basketball’s GOAT. My memory is that Nike was doing shady things with athletes which put them on my list, and whenever I check back to see if they are doing better they are doing something else awful so they stay on the list.
Thank you so much for this. I think you nailed what many of us who run companies have been thinking about as we viewed Nike perpetually tripping over their laces.
With you on Sororities and Fraternities. As the saying goes: "I would never want to be a member of any club that would accept me". (Paraphrased)
It’s actually a line from the great Groucho Marx which I frequently quote: “I refuse to join a club that would have me as a member” , which was spoken to The Friars Club when he decided to resign his membership. Not to be confused with, “I’ve a mind to join a club and beat you over the head with it” from his movie Duck Soup. Two classic lines. Nobody was funnier than The Marx Brothers. 👍
Yes that is me. No clubs especially not those that would have me. Groucho for the W.
Me too. 😉
As a fraternity guy who rushed his freshman year to the fraternity his father pledged, I was a "legacy" and so did not need to deal with the fear of failure. Rush can be a nasty process for girls or guys with low self-esteem. But once in the Greek system, I can say with great confidence it was a LOT of fun, for me, my bros, and the sorority girls we partied with (sometimes multiple times a week, including breakfast mimosas and screwdrivers). Maybe too much fun. I was a terrible student my first three years in college because I put my social life in front of my academic life. I was a very good partier. If that is your thing, like it was for me before 21, then Greek life is for you. But if you really want to get a great education and maximize your academic experience, steer clear. I transferred after my junior year, with sophomore credits, and became a very good student outside the college party system
I’m not sure how long ago you were in college, but your advice to avoid Greek life if you want to study and get good grades is not well founded today. I advise a 110 member fraternity at a 2nd tier states university that has an average GPA of 3.3, well above the all campus male average of 2.9. The all Greek average GPA hovers around 3.1.
There are plenty of studies over the last 30 years showing that Greek membership increases likelihood of returning for sophomore year and persisting through to graduation. And now there are studies that show Greek membership has a positive impact on mental health and wellness, civic engagement and community service, and career preparedness, among other positive outcomes (here’s one such study - https://nicfraternity.org/research/)
@jennifer sey, I read your stuff whenever I see it in my feed. I really appreciate your perspective and straightforward writing. This piece being a prime example. For what it’s worth, here’s another way to look at why young men and women join Greek organizations: it shrinks the campus down to a relatable group where they can pursue common goals, put themselves in service to others, push each other to become better versions of themselves, learn to accept differences and lean on what unites them, build friendships on a durable foundation, and have a whole lotta fun in the process. Perhaps you won’t hear a freshman articulate it that way - they are way too focused on the fun. But by the middle of junior year, most astute members will have come to this understanding.
Fraternities and sororities have survived for as long as they have because they provide something meaningful for you men and women, a sense of belonging and an opportunity to commit to something beyond themselves. It’s not the only place to find this on campus of course and you probably got it through gymnastics. But it’s certainly a viable place to find it.
My experience was in a PAC12 university in the mid 70s at a sought after fraternity. There were better students than me in the fraternity and some who did not socialize much at all. But for me, my first three years were more a social than an academic education. I obviously got good enough grades to stay in school, about a 3.0 in an engineering program. But I graduated Magna Cum Laude after changing schools and focusing on academics. Many upper classmen in our fraternity moved out of the house and only attended social activities once a month or so. This is a common experience. Each to their own.
I agree. I was Greek and so were both of my sons. We were all very involved with our philanthropies. I was President of my chapter. We had about 130 girls. I learned all kinds of leadership skills as well as dealing with financials. So many of my sisters went on to be executives in Fortune 500 companies or became entrepreneurs. I loved playing sports so it was nice to have ready made teams with my sisters to play intramural sports. My sons were in leadership in their fraternities as well. They both got jobs at graduation and have done really well in their careers. Both their fraternities had well over the average GPA at a BIG 10 and SEC school. They had some pretty strict study hours and grade parameters. Some of my best friends to date our still my sorority sisters from 40 years ago! We worked hard and played hard!
Thank you for acknowledging the service aspect of Greek life.
As a fellow former hostile and depressed black hair, you would be a blue hair today :)
Possibly yes. I acknowledge that!
Goth is a strange mindset. My son was goth, shopped at Hot Topic, for a couple years in his early teens. I never understood that type of negativity. Now he is a sunny, happy boy (40 year old). It was just a phase.
I was too. And i'm a downright optimist now. You can't start a business in your 50s and not be an optimist.
I don't belive you. I've been told by science that it's impossible for teenagers to go through phases that they later regret ;)
I went through a goth phase back in the '80s. But, I found I didn't really fit in with the other goths; I guess I was too cheerful.
Eventually I realized I didn't quite fit in with any scene, and just leaned into being an uncategorizable weirdo.
Me too. Smoking clove cigarettes, reading Camus and drinking Absinthe ;)
Thank God there wasn't PretentiousTwatPATH to provide an affirming model for me or Id still be looking sullen in dark coffee houses.
Nike finally getting something right. These girls shop! Sorority life is amazing. I am a big fan. I encourage all young girls to “rush” and I support many through it. It’s one of college’s best offerings.
These girls sure look like they're having fun! Not sure why they need to be in college, though..
Some business thoughts on Nike: Michael Jordan who practically built the house of Nike in the 1980s, with his huge endorsement deals, as Jennifer quoted, famously said: "Republicans buy sneakers, too". He got what Phil (Shoe Dog) Knight and crew did not. Nike in its Portland Oregon infused political tunnel vision also lost sight of competitors and let Adidas regain the global athletic gear lead it had in the 1970s before Nike took off. Adidas is a case in point for persistence. Nike has turned over its management a few times since Knight stepped down. Maybe they have finally come to grips with what MJ taught them 40 years ago and which they then forgot or ignored.
In addition to all you mentioned, the quality of their product went to crap. I quit buying Nike long before all the social justice espousing, but that cemented I’d never go back.
I now buy Hoka. Just do it, and I did.
Great walking shoe, especially if you trade out the soles. My foot dr recommended them. Only negative is the price.
I love reading your column. Love it. ❤️About brands, don't they all grow old and moribund? I can put on a pair of cool sneakers but I'll never be more than a old guy trying too hard.
Those of us with a good amount of mileage behind us, recognize this idiocy right when we see it. They were living off of the sugar high of 2020. But things always go back to average even if that average shifts slightly left or right. It’s why unaffiliated voters call the shots a lot of times. As a retired LEO officer, I knew that the defund the police and related things wouldn’t pass the smell test with the voters who mattered. Personally, I stopped buying Nike because of their conduct. Not that I thought my small contribution would affect them. But if a large majority did like I did, there’d be some impact on the bottom line. Seems that has come to pass. Good. I bet Kaepernick and Mulvaney aren’t under contract at Nike anymore.
The banners on the rush houses are the commencement of further decline, Jenn. Optics.
Not quality.
OK, Jen... you were a playa' in the boardroom. I'm just a schmoe who's unemployable and so has had to run his own businesses to earn a living. Here's my question:
Why not just be a private company? Why be so worried about shareholders at all? I'm thinking of the model of In N Out as profiled by Girdley on Youtube. It seems to me that corporations just become these profit hungry behemoths and don't really innovate all that much outside of the latest marketing idea.
I mean...Levi's still are just blue jeans...
Outside of making speculators gazillionaires, is there really a point?
That's a great question. Capital. Money. Growth. More money. Going public is a cash infusion. Lots of people get rich and take their leave. Then yes, it's a profit hungry behemoth driven by quarterly numbers. Without fail.
While I have no doubt it was not your intention, watching those videos was the most depressing thing I have seen in a long time. I think you made the right decision staying away from insanity of needing to join anything to have self worth. Artificial friendships are still artificial. No matter how many parties you can get drunk at, and all that comes along with that.
Went into Niketown in Boston, big posters of unfamiliar athletes. Nice that Nike sees its role to educate consumers, but it doesn't feel very fun, especially contrasted with very fun and some-local-focus Dick's up the street.
IMO the push behind the Great Corporate Awokening was ESG. Not only ESG funds, but indexers (who have no dog in the corporate performance fight) piling on for good guy points and marketing benefits.
The grand bargain was "If you play ball with the "Environmental" and "Social" part, we'll ignore the "Governance" part). In other words, if your ads give us a warm fuzzy feeling, we aren't going to gripe about your pay package.
As long as ESG inflows buoyed the stock price, all was fine. But now that the numbers have caught up, it doesn't matter as much. Who cares about how many out-of-the-money stock options you get when it is falling?
Some companies still haven't gotten the message though (Disney).
I hated Frats, ended up hanging with funny creative types. Was even national scandal adjacent a time or two because the majority couldn’t or wouldn’t get the joke.
That being said, Nike has been on my do not buy list for decades. I did have some early Air Jordan t-shirts mostly because I shared a last name with Basketball’s GOAT. My memory is that Nike was doing shady things with athletes which put them on my list, and whenever I check back to see if they are doing better they are doing something else awful so they stay on the list.
Interesting new “play.” Thanks for sharing.